Oil shale is a sedimentary formation having layers containing an organic polymer called kerogen which upon heating decomposes to produce hydrocarbon liquid and gaseous products. Known methods for heating oil shale include extending heating devices downwardly into the oil shale from above the earth's surface to cause liquid and gas to separate from solid material, and which are then pumped to the surface. Further, many in situ retorting techniques have been reported wherein the oil shale itself is fractured and ignited to provide the heating energy source to cause liquid and gas separation from surrounding solid material.
Needs remain for improved techniques and arrangements for recovering hydrocarbons from oil shale.
While the invention was motivated in addressing the above identified issues, it is in no way so limited. The invention is only limited by the accompanying claims as literally worded, without interpretative or other limiting reference to the specification, and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.